Adventurous Seoul: February/March...

Human trafficking
The last Friday of every month, Onnuri Church hosts what is called "Fire by Night." This is a night set aside to serve others, to pray and to fellowship. In February, I decided to go and this happened to be the night that the church went to one of the largest red light districts. The purpose was to pray for the city and the men, women and children that are enslaved in this area. We walked around interceding for the area as well as providing roses to the ladies that were working that night and chocolates to the men that were in that area, too. We didn't pass out tracks or invite them to church. We just simply wanted to pray for them, bring awareness about the issue of human slavery (particularly sex slavery) and show them love.

I was a bit nervous but then realized that I had actually been to this part of the city before. In fact, this area is a wealthy area in Seoul and brings in a lot of consumerism and tourism. From what I've researched and been told by others, there is a major connection between spending/consumerism and slavery (unfortunately, some people think that buying a person is just like buying an item). I had no idea that this area was a red light district prior to that night because it actually feels very safe and secure.

Seeing the young women waiting for their clients was really sad and eye-opening. I know I've mentioned this topic before on my blog (Not for Sale), but seeing beautiful women waiting for clients was extremely sad. They looked about my age (probably younger). Research has shown that many of these women are forced into this lifestyle and come from Southeast Asia. All I could do was pray for them.

On March 13th, my church hosted Freedom Sunday which is a day to bring awareness to human slavery. David Batsone of Not for Sale came back to Korea and spoke at church and this was televised in 150+ countries thanks to CNN. This only made me want to find more ways in which I can get involved in stopping modern-day slavery. I currently donate to an organization that combats slavery but perhaps in the future I can do more. I hope others become aware of this huge issue and find a way to help out, too.

Dongdaewon and North Korea
My school does a fundraiser every year called Dongdaewon to help out the Dongdaewon TB Care Center. Working through the Eugene Bell Foundation, Dongdaewon TB Care Center in North Korea, has been supported by SFS students and school community, faculty and staff through school wide fund raising efforts for the past 10 years. Established in 1995, the Eugene Bell Foundation is a not-for-profit organization. Eugene Bell (a missionary who arrived in Korea many years ago) had a mission to help North Korean health care providers with the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, North Korea's number one health challenge.

The school has held various fundraisers such as ping-pong games, concerts, soup sales and auctions. I did a little singing assignment the Friday before Spring Break and turned it into a fundraiser. Last year, a friend from college, Sam, was raising funds to go and help out Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Around the same time, 'Somos el Mundo-We are the World' (the Spanish version) was released in order to raise funds for Haiti. My students translated some of the lyrics and learned the chorus. I asked Sam to make a video for my students explaining the work she would be doing in Haiti. We then practiced the chorus over and over again and for every class that sang "Somos el Mundo," I donated money on behalf of my students to Sam's mission trip. The kids liked the song and it was chance to do a lesson about conjugating "ser" and cultural awareness! I decided to do this with my students here at SFS, too.

Some of my students watching the Somos el Mundo video and singing along

Here's a link to Somos Amor (music video): http://somoselmundo.org/

During the fundraising time, a few speakers came to our school, including a North Korean refugee. He explained his life in North Korea, his escape to China and Southeast Asia and finally his coming to Korea. He is now a university student with opportunities that would have never been available to him had he not left North Korea.

Korean War Memorial Museum
Wanting to know more about the history of the Korean War as well as other events of Korea, a few of us headed over to the War Memorial Museum. Here are some pictures:

Outside...